Install Work
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Well, since my plans for Smithfield were ruined by a late night at the office, my father called and insisted that we tackle the Vararam last night....well you all have read my horror stories with tools and Vette, so he really tackled it, I played tool monkey and read the instructions, and kept running back inside to look at the installation website.
Needless to say, 4 hours later, after looking in fear wondering why I ever let my father start taking my car apart, and learning some new words I never new before (and being a musician and a fraternity boy, I really thought I knew them all), it was on the car.
Since I could not play on the forum today, I took the car out and did the "run it for 45 miles at 60 mph" thing so the computer can "relearn how to breath". Then did another 25 miles at a little more spirited pace to see if I could tell the difference. And you can, I will admit that it was not a throw you back in your seat hang on for dear life we just hit Warp Factor 9 difference but the Vert did seem a little more spirited.
Now I just have to get it tuned...that I will not be tackling, and will have a shop do it.
Needless to say, 4 hours later, after looking in fear wondering why I ever let my father start taking my car apart, and learning some new words I never new before (and being a musician and a fraternity boy, I really thought I knew them all), it was on the car.
Since I could not play on the forum today, I took the car out and did the "run it for 45 miles at 60 mph" thing so the computer can "relearn how to breath". Then did another 25 miles at a little more spirited pace to see if I could tell the difference. And you can, I will admit that it was not a throw you back in your seat hang on for dear life we just hit Warp Factor 9 difference but the Vert did seem a little more spirited.
Now I just have to get it tuned...that I will not be tackling, and will have a shop do it.
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Getting your car tuned correctly will really wake it up. Congrats on getting it installed by yourself. Now you have more money that you can put toward getting it tuned. See, you did a good thing by helping your dad and playing tool monkey. 
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Well just hours away from getting the tune done. Ed suggested a 160 tstat, so I went and picked one up...my mechanic and his wife (aka my parents) were having some fight over something stupid (I guess after 35 years of marriage people do that), so it was fend for myself to put on the tstat...oh lord, me, tools, and cars. 
Actually it was not all that difficult, although I will admit that in none of the instructions I found online, or with the stat mentioned anything about the bottom bolt being obstructed by the two ac lines. So after a sort time of cussing
and inching it out little by little with a wrench it came off. After that the only problem I had was on the very last turn to snug the bottom bolt up I dropped the wrench 
It would not be a big deal but it was the only 10mm wrench my father had 
So if anyone happens to find a craftsman 10mm wrench in the road between Va Bch and Chesapeake, it is prolly mine.
Actually it was not all that difficult, although I will admit that in none of the instructions I found online, or with the stat mentioned anything about the bottom bolt being obstructed by the two ac lines. So after a sort time of cussing
and inching it out little by little with a wrench it came off. After that the only problem I had was on the very last turn to snug the bottom bolt up I dropped the wrench It would not be a big deal but it was the only 10mm wrench my father had So if anyone happens to find a craftsman 10mm wrench in the road between Va Bch and Chesapeake, it is prolly mine.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
No, it was under the car...apparently it landed next to the tire to where I could not see it until I moved the car.
I do have to say I spoke too soon with the problems though. I got some anti-freeze on the belts, and they started to squeal...so I decided to use the old soap trick as just a quick fix...well, to make a long story short, the belt wound up slipping further back onto the pulley and so I have to re-align the belt. I am done with working on the car. I have banned my self for brining any tools near my car again. 
I do have to say though, that replacing the thermostat, re-aligning the belt, after a little searching I was able to find step-by-step "Corvettes for Dummies" type instructions on the forum.
I do have to say I spoke too soon with the problems though. I got some anti-freeze on the belts, and they started to squeal...so I decided to use the old soap trick as just a quick fix...well, to make a long story short, the belt wound up slipping further back onto the pulley and so I have to re-align the belt.
I am done with working on the car. I have banned my self for brining any tools near my car again. I do have to say though, that replacing the thermostat, re-aligning the belt, after a little searching I was able to find step-by-step "Corvettes for Dummies" type instructions on the forum.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
So I finally got the vert down to Ed (edcmat-l1) at Automotive Technologies in Chesapeake. Ed took his time and did a really thorough job going over everything, asking me what I wanted, and explaining the things to me that I didn't understand. Grant it, it was just a tune, and not adding a twin turbo and some NOS, but it is amazing what tweaking things to get a few more ponies and a little more torque does. It really woke up the car.
After the tune, Ed and I spent a few minutes talking about what I wanted to do next to the car, and he made some suggestions that would cost me about the same as the route I was thinking, but add about 3 times the hp of the mods I had in mind.
Thanks Ed! 
There is one small problem though since the tune...if I am a little spirited in my driving, my traction control keeps being activated when it shifts from first to second.
After the tune, Ed and I spent a few minutes talking about what I wanted to do next to the car, and he made some suggestions that would cost me about the same as the route I was thinking, but add about 3 times the hp of the mods I had in mind.
Thanks Ed!
There is one small problem though since the tune...if I am a little spirited in my driving, my traction control keeps being activated when it shifts from first to second.
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Melting Slicks
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From: Powell TN
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Melting Slicks
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From: Chesapeake Va
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,363
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Edit: I don't know how long my tires would last if I turned off T/C